Discovering Inner Presence: Explore the Power of New Mental Health Self-Regulation Tools
Discovering Inner Presence: Explore the Power of New Mental Health Self-Regulation Tools
Sarah O'Brien, LCSW shares some new self-regulation tools she and her clients have used
What’s in this issue:
Article: Discovering Inner Presence: Explore the Power of New Mental Health Self-Regulation Tools
Discovering Inner Presence: Explore the Power of New Mental Health Self-Regulation Tools
Objective: Review each new mental health and self-regulation tool below
Outcome: Explore one of the below mental health products for your own self-care`
About the Author: Sarah O’Brien, LCSW
Sarah (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW, LCSW-C), trauma-informed and trained; psychotherapist with specialized certifications in Anxiety treatment and Telemental Health treatment. In 2016, she founded Rise and Shine Counseling after feeling burnt out from working in public mental health community services boards. Sarah's clinical experience includes facilitating recovery and relapse prevention groups, providing mental health skill-building to urban populations, conducting crisis evaluations, and working on an inpatient psychiatric unit. She is passionate about educating others on the effects of trauma and helping them navigate their own stories through therapy, mindfulness, setting boundaries, and finding a safe support network. Additionally, Sarah loves motivating others to practice self-care and affirm themselves. She has recently started creating affirmation stickers as a stress-management outlet. Sarah's subject matter expertise includes neuroscience-based treatment for Anxiety, Substance Use/Addiction, trauma-informed therapy, and social-emotional learning and communication. Learn more about Sarah's work as a therapist in Virginia and Maryland.
Cushion lab
I sit all day. At a desk. In front of my computer, I do back-to-back psychotherapy sessions. Before I was doing this at my computer, I was doing it at an office, sitting all day. That means what you’re sitting on is important, when you sit all day. As most of you know, therapists don’t make a ton of money, so often the decision to invest in a really expensive, high-quality chair isn’t in the budget. That’s okay. I’ve come across a product that is much more affordable and does the job pretty darn well.
What is it? It’s a 3-pillow package from The Cushion Lab
While I was waiting for my “good” office chair to come (long story, bought in a start-up, it has taken 3 years longer to manufacture than expected…still don’t have the damn chair) I came across an advertisement for this Cushion Lab thing. I waited for a sale and then purchased the seat cushion, back support cushion, and ergonomic foot cushion. And my $25 rolling, worn out, and kind of crappy office chair, is now comfortable. Within the first few weeks of use, I noticed less fidgeting in my chair to get comfortable, less achiness and soreness at the end of the day, less over all pain and tightness. Would a really nice, expensive ergonomic office chair from Sweden or something be more comfortable? Probably. I’m not going to lie there. However, I have found these cushions to be a suitable, way less expensive alternative. It works.
Later on, I purchased 2 car seat cushions. One for me, as the same thing happens in the car: I get uncomfortable in the same position, have to shift around, feel sore, tight and achy at the end of the ride. My spouse travels 65 miles each way to and from work. I gave him one for those long daily drives, and he’s noted it has been helpful at reducing back pain from spending so much time in the car.
In addition to the cushions I mentioned, they also offer bed pillows, neck pillow, side sleeper knee pillow, sheets, meditation cushion, and travel pillows, although I can’t speak to those. Cushion Lab has also been featured in several major news sources to include: Vogue, Mind Body Green, Good House Keeping, and the New York Post. They are currently running a fall sale where all cushions are anywhere from 15% up to 34% off. I recommend the office ergonomic package for an affordable alternative to an expensive, fancy office chair. They’re also made in USA. I’ve found a way to give out a discount if you miss the sale. They have a referral reward that if you purchase through my link, then we can both get a discount:
Loop Earplugs
I am a light sleeper. Very light. The slightest thing wakes me up. Also, having a spouse that snores really doesn’t faire well for someone who is a light sleeper. I have been wearing earplugs at night for over 5 years, usually the little disposable foam ones, just replacing them every week or so. Then I discovered Loop Earplugs. The Quiet design is made of soft, flexible silicone, which makes them extremely comfortable to wear at night, as I am a side sleeper so hard earplugs just won’t do. They have up to 26dB of noise reduction and comes with interchangeable ear tip sizes to ensure good fit and better comfort. (I need the small size, fits better in my ear, more comfortable than wearing medium or large for me). They also come in a variety of fun colors.
In addition, they advertise the Experience, Experience Plus, Engage, Engage Plus, and Engage kids’ versions. The Experience design offers up to 18dB of noise reduction, while the Plus version adds a mute accessory (a little silicone circle-looking-thing) that fits inside the opening that sits on the outside of the ear for an added 5dB of noise reduction. The Experience has a slightly higher base noise reduction and is advertised for events things like concerts, motorcycling, noise sensitivity and deep focus. Also comes with 4 interchangeable ear tips. Both the Experience and Engage have a soft silicone tip, and firmer plastic for the rest, still very comfortable to wear, and they don’t fall out! The Engage endorses 16dB of noise reduction (additional 5dB with the Plus version and that added mute accessory) and boasts a newly engineered filter so that you “sound more natural in conversations” while wearing them. They are advertised for use in conversations, social gatherings, also for noise sensitivity, and parenting (gotta love that! Parents need some quiet!). All options come in varying colors. You can always buy extra mute accessories later on, they’re available to purchase separately. They come with a handy little carrying case.
My spouse and I both purchased the Engage Plus set, and we use these mostly at concerts. We find the 16dB is enough reduction for what we need, but if you have sensitive hearing, you may want to consider purchasing the Experience Plus for a combined up to 23dB reduction with the mute accessory added in. My spouse says this about them: “As a person with sensitive hearing, I really like that they provide the safety and relief I need when going to see live music, without sacrificing any of the auditory experience” and I agree with him. For use at concerts, I can still hear the beautiful, wonderful sounds, without damaging my eardrums. Another use I’ve found for the Engage set is while running errands, grocery shopping, or in crowded spaces or stores. I can get over-stimulated, distracted, overwhelmed and then off task, or not work as efficiently, so I find that using them in this context helps me focus, feel less anxious and overwhelmed, and get my tasks done more quickly.
As mentioned, I’m a psychotherapist, and I have suggested these earplugs to many of my clients. Several have purchased and all report benefits from using them in situations where they feel anxious, overwhelmed, distracted. Some use them at co-working stations, others at the grocery store, others in the car with their kids. The vein running through everyone’s satisfaction with these earplugs is how they drown out background noise and/or reduce volume without making it difficult to hear when necessary. They can still engage in conversations with them in and yet reduce all the surrounding noises. They offer Student, Teacher, First Responder, Military, and Medical discounts. Loop Earplugs have been featured in publications for Rolling Stone, CNN, and Wired Recommends.
Here is an article by Well + Good I contributed to highlighting the benefits of Loop Earplugs for alleviating anxiety symptoms and overwhelm. https://www.wellandgood.com/loop-engage-ear-plugs/
Here is a link to take you directly to the Loop Site homepage, where you can explore their options, read more, and purchase.
CalmiGo
I came across ads for CalmiGo about a year ago. I thought it looked and sounded interesting. Their site describes the device like this: “is a patented technology-based device that provides immediate drug-free relief in moments of anxiety, stress, and panic attacks.” It looks like an inhaler, described as an “exhaler.” This little device uses biofeedback about your breathing pattern and slowly regulates the pattern to elongate both the inhale and the exhale. We know from other research that deep breathing techniques, including elongation of the breath, produces a calming effect on the brain and body. Deep breathing successfully lowers outputs of cortisol (stress hormone) in your brain, producing a relaxation effect for the body.
The website boasts the device was tested in 8 independent clinical studies (which they give access to on their website) and the results prove significant improvements in the following areas: Anxiety, Stress, Sleep Quality, Well-Being, Stress at Work, and PTSD, which is pretty incredible. How does it work? Well, you just breathe in and out of the device and it uses multi-sensory stimulation to ease you into a calm state. It affects 4 of the 5 senses. It produces a sound when you breathe in and out, it also rattles a little; then it vibrates and you’re holding it for touch; a light comes on when using which stimulates sight; and if you add their calming scent packs, we can throw smell in their too. With treatment for many of the disorders listed here, accessing the senses and paying attention to things that appeal to different senses is excellent for grounding a person to the present moment. Once we add controlled, deep, elongated breaths in there, then we have an amazing tool to help with calming both the mind and the body when we’re worked up, or otherwise dysregulated.
The device takes triple A batteries and it’s handheld, comes with a little bag, for easy portable use. It sites use for ages 6 and up, which is also pretty cool. Children with sensory or mental health concerns can use this device at school or other environments, as needed, to reach a calm state without the use of medications. This device offers immediate relief. With all this yummy good information about this handy device, I had to see it, use it for myself. So, I reached out to them and explained I am psychotherapist who specializes in anxiety, addictions, and trauma and I wanted to see/test the device before suggesting it to my clients (I always vet products and providers, really any resource, I’m offering to clients as an option) for their use. Well to my surprise, they just sent me one! I didn’t have to purchase it, which I thought was awesome (I was willing to purchase it, btw).
I used it several times to get a feel for how it works. It slowly leads you to elongating your breath cycle following your pattern of breathing (the biofeedback piece). I found it helped me to take slower, longer breaths faster than I would trying to do that on my own, and way faster than trying to do that on my own when I’m in a panic or anxiety attack. I opted in for the scents (currently they have peppermint, lavender, and bergamot-citrus available) to see how strong and actually helpful that would be (basically, is it worth it to purchase the scent packs). And I like that they advertise this: “CalmiGo uses pure aromatherapy oil to activate parts of your nervous system that induce relaxation and a calmer state. Our scented plates are made using a unique technology of solidifying pure oils, thus making sure that no substances or drugs are involved.” What a fantastic feature! I enjoy a soothing scent. They are also a “veteran-owned and operated company, we are honored to partner with Lovell Government Services and bring CalmiGo to the Veterans who can benefit from it.” (See info below for accessing CalmiGo for FREE at VA Clinics). I can get behind that!
My Clients’ Reviews of CalmiGo
Recently, a therapy client of mine purchased it after realizing their past trauma was preventing them from accessing their body, as discovered in trying to do a yoga class for the first time. They were aware of and often tried to practice deep breathing as means of relaxation and regulation, however they found that using the device 1) gets them there faster, therefore reducing the amount of time they spend in discomfort or dysfunction, and 2) it helps them connect with their body and body sensations in the present moment. They’ve reported they not only feel calmer, and more relaxed, but also more connected to their body, increase in their sense of awareness about their body, and feel more comfortable in their body in the present moment. And this is HUGE for trauma survivors, or others who have difficulty accessing their body and sensations, or feeling connected to themselves. Disconnection from self and body are major adverse effects as a result of trauma and I love how this device has been so helpful for this client in their healing journey.
Another client had the device and told me a time when they had too many cannabis edibles without knowing their tolerance or limit on consuming edibles. They “overdosed” on edibles essentially and this left them “freaking out.” What that meant for this client, as it does for so many who consume too many edibles too quickly and then get a BIG effect a few hours later, is feeling paranoid, uncomfortable, afraid, out of sorts, definitely disconnected from themselves, and also trouble calming down and accessing a regular or calming breathing pattern. This client used the device for 10-20 minutes (as opposed to 3-5 for anxiety, stress, panic etc) and reported feeling “better,” less paranoid, “back to reality,” calmer, and then able to rejoin the present moment and enjoy the rest of his evening. I love how this device can be helpful for cannabis overdose, as most people don’t know what to do in this scenario and go to the E.R. Having a drug-free way to also come down from too much cannabis (really, it’s too much THC- the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis) and approved use for children age 6 and up, this answers some concerns about what to do with all the cannabis legalization happening around the country, and the increased risk for youth to access it, and misuse and/or overuse it. If they do, or you do in their presence, having the CalmiGo may eliminate the long period of time it usually takes to “come down” and assist people getting back to their typical state more quickly.
*Disclaimer* I am an affiliate for CalmiGo, which means I do get a kick back if someone purchases using my link below. CalmiGo does not increase prices for this. However, this affiliate partnership also allows me to give people a 15% discount code. Use the following code with my link to get 15% your CalmiGo device.
Code: Thrive15
Link: https://calmigo.com?fid=885
You can check out my blog articles educating on Cannabis Misconceptions here:
https://www.sarahobrienlcsw.com/post/misconceptionsofcannabis
https://www.sarahobrienlcsw.com/post/misconceptionsofcannabispart2
Accessing FREE CalmiGo for VA Clinics:
FSS contract number: V797D-50450
Availability in VA Clinics
Fill out the form below (on their website) or call us to check if you can get CalmiGo for free at your VA clinic
Tel: 850-684-1867 email: contact@lovellgov.com
Other Community News
Gladys, Julie, Anu and Candice present at Nadine Burke Harris Event
Katie and Julie discuss the Social Impact of Vetting on her Podcast: A Trauma Informed Future
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